Impact of COVID-19 on the capacity to self-manage health and chronic conditions

OBJECTIVE: To investigate well-being, lifestyle behaviors, self-management capacity and healthcare utilization among adults with chronic conditions at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Data was collected from two interviewer-administered telephone surveys conducted between March 27 – May 22, 2020. Participants were patients at Chicago-area clinics. Self-report and validated measures were used for study-related outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 553 participants (age range 23–88) completed data collection at both timepoints. One in five (20.7%) participants experienced stress due to the coronavirus most or all the time and rates of negative well-being were high (WHO-5 Index mean = 58.7%). Almost a quarter (22.3%) engaged in hazardous drinking and 79.7% reported insufficient physical activity. Nearly one in four participants (23.7%) avoided seeking medical care due to worry about COVID-19. In multivariable analyses, greater COVID-19 related stress was associated with less physical activity, lower self-efficacy, greater difficulty managing health and medications, and delays in seeking medical care due to the coronavirus. CONCLUSIONS: Mental well-being, lifestyle behaviors, self-management capacity, and healthcare utilization were impacted in the months following the COVID outbreak. INNOVATION: These findings suggest health systems should implement proactive measures for detecting and treating emotional and behavioral COVID-related concerns.